A significant factor that affects the fuel consumption of a car is its weight. Studies suggest that reducing even 10% of a vehicle’s weight can reduce fuel usage by 6 to 8%.
This has encouraged automobile manufacturers to use materials that can make the vehicle lightweight in the current. In the current economic and environmental concerns, this has become a necessity.
Using advanced plastic materials can drastically reduce the weight of the vehicle and reduce its fuel consumption.
Besides making it fuel-efficient, there are other advantages to these advanced plastics used in a vehicle.
- Improved safety and comfort
- Flexibility in integrating components
- Weight Reduction
- Design freedom
There is so much plastic being used in cars today that you don’t even know about. Here are eight types of advanced plastics that are being used in the automotive industry today.
Poly-Vinyl Chloride
PVC or poly-vinyl chloride is a very flexible material that is flame retardant, has excellent thermal stability, and is low on lead content. This material can be compression molded, injection-molded, blow-molded, creating a multitude of flexible or rigid plastic products, which depends on the amount and type of plasticizers used. For example, car manufacturers make automobile doors, instrument panels, and sheathing electrical cables with PVC.
Polypropylene
Polypropylene is created from propylene and provides excellent resistance to chemical solvents, bases, and acids. This saturated polymer’s applications can be found in carpet fibers, gas cans, cable insulation, bumpers, and chemical tanks.
POM (Polyoxymethylene)
POM is a polymer with excellent dimensional stability, high heat resistance and creep resistance, and adequate electrical and dielectric properties. This thermoplastic material is an engineering material that is used in parts of the automobile that require precision.
Manufacturers use POM in high-performance components like internal gears and external fuel systems and trims. Plastics like POM are helping drive revolution in the automotive manufacturing industry.
Polycarbonate
This plastic is incredibly tough, hard, and stiff, offering excellent electrical, thermal, optical, impact, weathering properties. Polycarbonate is one of the top choices for manufacturers to make bumpers, helmets, headlamp lenses, and bullet-proof glass due to its extraordinary impact-bearing property.
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
This plastic sheet is very similar to PVC, offering a sleek finish to the final product. ABS plastic is often used to make dashboards and steering wheel covers. Besides this, it can also be of great use for heavy-duty applications.
Manufacturers use it even to make automotive body parts. As a result, ABS is well-suited for the vehicle’s body to absorb and redistribute energy when it experiences an impact, which keeps the passengers safe.
Polystyrene
Polystyrene is incredibly resistant to electricity and chemical. In addition, the manufacturing of this plastic is very easy since it softens quickly on being heated and is highly elastic beyond its glass transition temperature.
It is also a very strong plastic with elongation, toughness, impact strength, and modulus properties. The application of polystyrene lies in display bases, car fittings, and buttons.
Polyethylene
Polyethylene is cost-effective and a very efficient plastic in the sense of low density, high impact resistance, moisture resistance, and toughness. As a result, this plastic can be used in numerous thermoplastics processing methods, reinforced glass, and electrical insulation.
Conclusion
These advanced, high-performance plastics play a vital role in reinventing the automotive industry based on their incredible uses in making the vehicles even more efficient. So, if you are an automotive manufacturer, choosing one of this cutting-edge plastic in your vehicles will boost their performance and help you grow your business even more.